Harper Lee’s most popular novel is To Kill A Mockingbird. The novel is set in a town in southern Alabama called Maycomb County, during the Great Depression. The main character Scout Finch is a young white girl who learns valuable lessons throughout the story. Since the novel is set from a child’s perspective there are many things she does not understand, and we see her grow up and learn from her experiences. Throughout the story we see Scout starting to understand what her town and the people in it are really like. Harper Lee could have wrote this novel to show that even if the people in your community are wrong you can try and have a positive influence and change their minds. Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is a bildungsroman because Jem, …show more content…
Jem, Scout’s older brother, grows up a lot in the novel and even starts to go through puberty. He used to play with Scout a lot and they would go on adventures together. Jem says, “ I know what we are going to play, something new, something different… Boo Radley” (Lee 43). This quote shows Jem was the one who would make up games for them to play, he has not grown up yet. Jem makes up the game Boo (Arthur) Radley. In real life Boo was chained up in his house by his parents for years, no one ever sees him so they think the Radley’s house is cursed and that Boo has turned into a monster. The game was about Boo radley’s life and how sad, lonely, and terrible it was. As the novel continues, Jem faces the horrible outcome of a trial his father Atticus Finch was trying to win, and grows up in the process. Atticus does not win the trial because the jury was very racist. Confused, Jem fails to understand how people could be so hateful. Scout narrates, “It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd.’It ain’t right,’he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square” (Lee 242). This proves that Jem knows that racism is not right, he has grown up to see how some people really are. The trial of Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, made Jem realize …show more content…
Dill is the best friend of Jem and Scout, and comes to visit every summer to see them. Dill is a young, very curious, and creative kid. He makes up stories and tall tales to impress Scout. He always has his head in the clouds. Scout narrates, “Thus we came to know Dill as a pocket Merlin, whose head teemed with eccentric plans, strange longings, and quaint fancies” (Lee 9). This quote shows that with his sense for adventure, creative storytelling, and intelligence, Jem and Scout quickly excepted Dill as their friend. As the novel continues, Dill goes everywhere with Jem and Scout, even to the trial of Tom Robinson, Where he realizes how horrible and sickening racism is. Dill says, “I don’t care one speck. It ain’t right, somehow it ain’t right to do ‘em that way. Hasn’t anybody got any business talkin’ like that - it just makes me sick” (Lee 226). This quote proves that Dill has grown to see the effects of racism. He understands it is not right to treat someone differently because of the color of their skin. Dill realizes that humans are the real monsters, not the ones he makes up with Jem and Scout or in his
Boo Radley, also known as Arthur Radley, is the scary, evil creature that lives in the creepy old house down the street from Jem and Scout, and is misjudged at first. Jem and Scout, two main characters, first see Boo as some sort of scary monster. Jem described him in the first chapter as “...six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks...” and said “...he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained- if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off...” Jem also mentioned Boo had a “...long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time.” Scout and Jem also call Boo a “...malevolent phantom...” As if that isn't bad enough, the kids hear and tell horrible stories about Boo. One is of how he stabbed his dad with a pair of scissors; another tells how he was locked up in the courthouse basement. Even with such a grisly initial perception at the beginning of...
Jem had changed throughout the story from acting like a child and doing things that children do to becoming more mature and taking part in the community. When Dill had ran away from his mom and stepdad during the summer Jem and Scout had found him under the bed in Scout’s room. Scout was planning to hide him in her room: however, Jem had other plans. “Dill’s eyes flickered at Jem and Jem looked at the floor. Then he rose and broke the remaining code of our childhood. He went out of the room and down the hall. “Atticus, can you come here a minute, sir?” (pg. 74) For years, Jem and Dill had been the best of friends. Dill had found Jem trustworthy, however, Jem was willing to do what was right even if it means losing a friends trust. Towards the end of the summer, when Dill was getting ready to leave Jem felt that it was necessary that Dill should learn to swim. He has spent the next week going to the creek to teach him. "Jem had discovered with angry amazement that nobody had ever bothered to teach Dill how to swim, a skill Jem considered necessary as walking. They had spent two afternoons at the creek, they said they were going in ...
In part one, Jem and Scout are terrified of Boo Radley because of stories they have heard. They have never actually seen or talked to him and yet they are still children and believe most of the things they hear. The stories about Boo eating cats and squirrels are enough to scare them out of their shoes. The children love to play the game they made called “Boo Radley” which always ends with someone getting “stabbed” in the leg, just as Boo Radley stabbed his father’s leg. In part two on the other hand, Jem and Scout stop playing their game and stop telling the stories because it no longer entertains or scares them. If they had not matured, these games and stories would still frighten them. Because they have matured however,...
In the first part of To Kill a Mockingbird Dill is very outgoing. The first time we meet Dill is when he meets Jem and Scout. The first thing he says to the kids
Even though Jem is growing up and maturing he has some naive view of the community he live in. We see that in trial of Tom Robinson. Jem is convinced that the jury is going to rule in favor of Tom. But as we know Tom is convicted. This surprises Jem. He doesn‘t understand and can‘t accept it. However everybody else know that the ruling is never going to be in Toms favor. He sees the world only as black and white although he is learning that it is not that simple. Through the story Jem learns about the injustice, racism and discrimination in his
In Harper Lee’s book, To Kill a Mockingbird, she creates many characters and she goes in depth on each one of their lives. Some of her characters have a happy life, some have good lives with some unfortunate events, and some of her character’s lives are sad and confused. We know that Scout has a happy life and Jem’s life is fairly good so far, but their friend Dill does not seem to fit in either category, because of his family life, his life seems confused. Dill is a character in To Kill a Mockingbird with a mysterious family life, although we know a few facts there are still some aspects unknown. Dill uses his powerful imagination to cope with his presumed difficult life.
Dill also shows that he is warm hearted by caring about the littlest things, “it’s sort of like making a turtle come out…” “How’s that?” asked Dill. “Strike a match under him.” I told Jem if he set fire to the Radley house I was going to tell Atticus on him. Dill said striking a match under a turtle was hateful. “Ain’t hateful, just persuades him—‘s not like you’d chunk him in the fire,” Jem growled. “How do you know a match don’t hurt him?” “Turtles can’t feel, stupid,” said Jem. “Were you ever a turtle, huh?” “My stars, Dill! Now lemme think… reckon we can rock him…” Jem stood in thought so long that Dill made a mild concession: “I won’t say you ran out on a dare an‘ I’ll swap you The Gray Ghost if you just go up and touch the house.” Jem brightened. “Touch the house, that all?” Dill nodded. “Sure that’s all, now? I don’t want you hollerin‘ something different the minute I get back.” “Yeah, that’s all,” said Dill. “He’ll probably come out after you when he sees you in the yard, then Scout’n‘ me’ll jump on him and hold him down till we can tell him we ain’t gonna hurt him.” (17-18) This also shows Dill fascination about the
His second charateristics is him needing attention. The first time the reader see that he is needing attention is when Dill said, “Mr. Finch don’t tell Aunt Rachel, don’t make me go back, please sir! I’ll run of again!”(188) This quote shows how Dill is just wanting attention. Somebody who would say they’ll run away again just wants attention. Another time that the reader sees that he is needing attention is when Scout and Dill are talking, when Dill tells Scout, “The thing is, what I’m tryin’ to say is they do get on a lot better without me, I can’t help them any. They ain’t mean. They buy me everything I want, but it’s now-you’ve-got-it-go-play-with-it. You’ve got a roomful of things. I-got-you-that-book-so-go-read-it.”(191) By using this quote it shows how he’s wanting attention by wanting affection by his new parents. By the tone of this quote the reader can tale that Dill is filling upset that all he wants is attention.
... him like a dog. It gives them no rights and that’s what Dill is trying to explain to Scout. Lastly, Dill and Scout had to go through an experience to start using empathy; otherwise they could not put themselves into another’s shoes.
Growing up is hard, but when you add in nosey neighbors, scary houses, a stuck up aunt, and taunting children, it becomes more difficult. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper Lee that was published in 1960. The story takes place in Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s. Scout Finch is a six year old narrator. She lives with her father, her brother, and Calpurnia, their black cook. Scout spends her summers playing with her brother, Jem, and her friend, Dill Harrison. Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, is a lawyer and he is defending Tom Robinson, a black man who is accused of raping Mayella Ewell. The story is an account of the next three years of Scout’s life in Maycomb. Throughout the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, it takes a couple years for Scout Finch to grow and mature into an understanding, empathetic, polite, young lady.
Scout lives in Maycomb County where she has to discover the unfair realities of society alongside prejudice people and some honest, accepting, and compassionate people. Her father, Atticus, is a lawyer who teaches her life lessons to help her understand different perspectives. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates how people’s ignorance results in prejudice against others and can only be stopped through understanding and compassion. Lee exemplifies the ignorant people in a society and their effect on others using the people in Maycomb County.
He spends his times with Scout and Jem, either messing with Boo Radley or just creating fuss. Dill is from Meridian , Mississippi. He is jealous of Scout because she has Atticus who spends time with her and Jem. He says “The thing is, what I’m tryin’ to say is-they do get on a lot better without me, I can’t help them any” (Lee 143). He states that his family is better off without him because they don’t spend time with Dill as a family and have bonding time. Sorta like the Ewells when Bob Ewell is busy drinking whiskey, Dill’s parents are too busy working or don’t need Dill’s help. Dill criticized his own family for not having what the Finches have, family bonding. Dill mentions to Scout that “They kiss you and hug you good night and good mornin’ and good-bye and tell you they love you-” (Lee 143). All Dill wants is a family that shows love and affection like the
At points in the book when Dill leaves, Scout and Jem miss him as he was the basis of their games during the entire summer. To them Dill is another person to interact with, who plays their games with them and whose company they both enjoy. Dill is also like a book to them because as they interact more with him they unfold more and more of his past rousing their curiosity to want to find out more.
Jems naïve views are soon corrupted as he goes through experiences like with Boo Radley, but Jem manages to grow in strength as he sheds his pure qualities and learns to have hope. Jem and Scouts childhood friend Dill represents another killing of a mockingbird, as his innocence is destroyed during his trial experience. Scouts childish views dissipates as she witnesses different events in her life, and she grows in experience and maturity as she encounters racial prejudice, making her learn how to maintain her pure conscience that Atticus has developed without losing hope or becoming cynical. Harper Lee’s novel explores human morality, as she weaves the path from childhood to a more adult perspective, illustrating the evils in a corrupt world how to understand them without losing
middle of paper ... ... Throughout the book Scout, Jem and Dill all learn and get more mature as the book goes on, where education plays a huge part in that role. As they know more, they start to get to know people as they really are and not as stereotypes. They start to get more mature, as most people in Maycomb, since they start to hang out with black people more than white people.